


Mercutio and Juliet

by TrumpetGeek



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Complete, M/M, Shakespeare, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-25
Updated: 2012-10-25
Packaged: 2017-11-17 00:24:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/545480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrumpetGeek/pseuds/TrumpetGeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's bad enough that they chose Romeo and Juliet for their senior showcase, but it's even worse that Erzsebet insisted on an all-male cast. Now Arthur has to pine from a distance as he watches Alfred, school golden boy and the object of his affections, fraternize with the 'enemy'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Opening Act

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look it’s another fanfic finally! This is actually my second new one, but I can’t post The Green Fuse Drives the Flower because it’s for the USUK Anthology (which you should all look forward to because there are a ton of great authors and artists involved!). Anyway, this one’s for Foreign Compromise/america-loves-england, who won my 50 follower fanfic giveaway like two months ago oops. I hope you can look past my tardiness and enjoy it!

They were going to do a Shakespeare play for their senior showcase.

 

And not just any Shakespeare play, oh no, of course they all wanted to do _Romeo and Juliet_. Oh, it’s so romantic! the girls tittered. Such a charming portrayal of love and dedication! Arthur wanted to smack them all. _Romeo and Juliet_ was a _tragedy_ , not a romance. There was nothing romantic about a thirteen year-old girl and a seventeen year-old boy killing themselves in the name of love after only a few days of knowing each other. But unsurprisingly no one listened to Arthur’s grumblings and the verdict passed – _Romeo and Juliet_ it was.

 

The next part of the meeting consisted of electing students for non-acting roles, such as producer, director, makeup artists, set designers, and stage crew. Arthur stopped paying attention at that point and instead let his eyes wander a few seats over to where Alfred was sitting.

 

The boy was gorgeous, strikingly intelligent (when he wasn’t busy being a wanker), and equal parts jock and nerd. He was currently busy staring absently out the window, pencil twirling between his long fingers.

 

‘The Rosaline to my Romeo,’ Arthur mused bitterly to himself. Completely out of his league, yet he couldn’t stop himself from wanting.

 

He continued to daydream (mostly about the naughty things he’d like to do to Alfred if he ever got his hands on him), but the scrape of chairs against the linoleum floor brought him back. The meeting had obviously finished and students were now filing out of the unused classroom, chattering about which people they’d like to see play which roles. He gathered up his play notes and glanced back at Alfred’s window seat –he was already gone.

 

With a sigh he turned to leave, but instead found that his escape was blocked by a very bouncy Erzsebet. She looked ready to burst, like a small child who perceived she’d had a brilliant idea during class but hadn’t been called on. Not even the very pointed look he’d given her swayed her excitement, so he just sighed and crossed his arms.

 

“Yes, Erzsebet? What can I possibly do for you?”

 

“Well, you could just confess your undying love for Alfred already,” she said, ignoring Arthur’s embarrassed and indignant sputtering, “but we all know you won’t do that. But I have an idea that might help you out! What if we did the play the way they were done in Shakespeare’s time?”

 

Arthur stared at her. “Do you mean—?”

 

“Yup! An all-male cast!”

 

“And how do you propose to do this?”

 

“Well I am the director, Arthur. Weren’t you paying attention? Oh wait, I forgot. You were too busy staring at the boy you’re in love with.”

 

Arthur hissed, but she was already out the door –he could hear her giggling down the hallway.

 

And that was how their rendition of Shakespeare’s _Romeo and Juliet_ came to be performed by an all-male cast.

 

* * *

 

 

As soon as Alfred heard that the play would feature and all-male cast, he decided he’d try his darnedest to get the role of Juliet. He figured he might finally be able to get his romantic moment with Arthur (because of course Arthur would audition for and receive the part of Romeo, since he was English and all that…tea and crumpets) after years of being too shy to approach the class president.

 

However, the day the roles were posted was a day of sore disappointment. He got the part of Juliet, but his Romeo was not Arthur. He looked at it again, hoping that he’d just misread it. He even put his finger to the paper, following the line from Romeo’s name to Francis’ over and over just to check.

 

“Oh God,” Alfred muttered. “Francis is my Romeo. I have to kiss him. On the mouth. Shit.”

 

“Bad luck there, mate.”

 

Alfred jumped; he’d been so intent on checking out the cast list that he hadn’t heard Arthur sneak up behind him. He turned to find the Brit pondering the list with a thoughtful look on his face.

 

“Not really surprised though. Romeo and Francis have a lot in common. They both lack moderation, and they both have this amazing ability to make awkward sexual jokes. Come to think of it, you make quite a good Juliet,” Arthur murmured, glancing sideways at him.

 

“I was hoping you’d audition for Romeo,” Alfred blurted, and immediately turned his face away to hide the furious blush that settled over his cheeks.

 

“Why would I want to be Romeo? All he does is pine after women he can’t have, and when he finally does get one, he loses the ability to emote in moderation,” Arthur replied with distaste. “No, I auditioned for Mercutio instead. He’s one of Shakespeare’s most well-developed and memorable characters. He’s intelligent and quick-witted with all the best lines.”

 

“Damn, I should’ve auditioned for Mercutio then,” Alfred said with a grin. Arthur smiled back at him and turned to walk away, gesturing for Alfred to follow.

 

“No, I think you’re a fitting Juliet. She’s a bit naïve and childlike, but she’s got a steely determination about her that the other characters lack. She gives the appearance of being docile and obedient but in reality she is logical and sober-minded –for example, when her mother asks her to love Paris, she promises only what her mother asks and does not go out of her way to try to love him, and when Romeo is banished from Verona, she does not immediately and blindly follow him into banishment but takes the time to consider her choices in the matter. And in the end, she has more nerve and bravery in her than Romeo has –he killed himself with poison, while she pushed a dagger into her own heart.”

 

They walked down the hallway in silence for a bit while Alfred digested everything he’d just been told. Did that mean Arthur thought those things about them? That he was childlike but loyal, naïve but determined, brave?

 

“You sure know a lot about a play you don’t even like,” he said to distract himself.

 

“It’s not that I don’t like _Romeo and Juliet_ ,” Arthur replied, glancing sideways at Alfred as they pushed through a set of doors to the auditorium. Alfred thought that he might say something else, felt the anticipation of it in his gut, but then Francis approached, threw his arm around him, and dragged him away, saying something about spending some quality time with his Juliet before rehearsal.

 

* * *

 

 

“Nay, he will answer the letter’s master, how he dares, being dared!” Antonio shouted from the stage.

 

Arthur jumped in, a savage grin on his lips. “Alas poor Romeo! he is already dead; stabbed with a white wench’s black eye; shot through the ear with a love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy’s butt-shaft: and is he a man to encounter Tybalt?”

 

Alfred found that he liked watching Arthur during practices. The American came into this play knowing he didn’t have an artistic bone in his body (in all reality, Alfred probably only received a lead role to draw the athletes in), but Arthur was a completely different story. He watched over the hours, the weeks of rehearsal as Arthur sank himself into his role almost seamlessly, a perfect fit for Mercutio.

 

He wasn’t the only one watching –he often felt trapped between Arthur’s warm, lingering gaze and Francis’ leering smirk. It took him a few practice kisses to realize that the smirks he felt against his lips weren’t directed at him at all, but rather at Arthur; in fact, he could practically feel the victory emanating off of the Frenchman at Arthur’s fuming off stage.

 

And then one day, it all made sense.

 

Of course.

 

Francis was trying to make Arthur jealous. Francis _liked_ Arthur. And judging from Arthur’s reaction, Arthur liked Francis. That would explain why there was always so much tension surrounding them, why they picked on each other so much.

 

Something inside Alfred broke and for the first time in a long time he felt helpless –definitely not the hero he always thought himself to be.

 

* * *

 

 

_Romeo and Juliet_ had gone over supremely well. Class D’s senior showcase had had the largest audience by far, drawn in by the promise of an all-male cast and Alfred’s performance as Juliet, and miraculously no one had missed a line or a stage cue. Everyone was backstage, celebrating their success, but Arthur couldn’t join them; his blood was still boiling with jealousy at having to watch Alfred and Francis kiss and he certainly didn’t feel like making small talk with his classmates.

 

He felt like moping. Erzsebet had set this whole thing up to encourage him to finally confess his feelings –she’d told him so that day they’d voted to do _Romeo and Juliet_ –and yet he hadn’t been able to gather up the courage. He wanted to feel like he didn’t deserve Alfred, but his mind was still stuck on Alfred and Francis and he couldn’t help but feel like maybe he deserved him more than the frog did.

 

That’s why when Alfred walked up to him and started babbling about his performance, Arthur decided to kiss him.

 

Arthur expected Alfred to be surprised. He’d expected that the poor boy would pull away and hit him, shun him, be disgusted by him. But he _hadn’t_ expected Alfred to pull back almost as soon as their lips touched and say in a very dejected and confused tone of voice: “but I thought you liked Francis?”

 

Arthur couldn’t help it –he laughed.

 

“Don’t laugh!” Alfred wailed, face flushed with embarrassment. “I thought he was using me to make you jealous!”

 

“Alfred, love,” Arthur said, reaching a hand up to gently touch the side of Alfred’s face. “He _was_ trying to make me jealous, but not because we like each other.”

 

When Alfred just continued to look at him, adorably confused, Arthur rolled his eyes. “Do you really need me to spell everything out for you? It’s _you_ I love, you idiot!”

 

“Ah –really?”

 

“Yes really!” Arthur exclaimed, exasperated. He bit his lip and paused, suddenly nervous. “Do…do you love me, too, or should I go and murder Erzsebet and Francis now?”

 

“Oh, uh… ‘My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite,’” Alfred sighed, moving into Arthur’s personal space once again.

 

“’O blessed, blessed night! I am afeared. Being in night, all this is but a dream, too flattering-sweet to be substantial,’” Arthur murmured, resting his forehead against Alfred’s in relief.

 

“But Arthur, those are Romeo’s lines, not Mercutio’s.”

 

“Mm, you’re right. What if we make our own lines?”

 

“…that was really cheesy, Arthur,” Alfred said, laughing gently.

 

“Yes, well, ah…” the Brit floundered, provoking more warm puffs of laughter from the American before he suddenly found himself being kissed.

 

And this time, neither of them pulled away.

 

* * *

 

 

OMAKE

 

“I told you this would work!” Erzsebet exclaimed excitedly. “Aren’t they just precious?!”

 

“I suppose, if by precious you really mean awkward,” Francis replied, smirking. “Still, I guess that’s just proof that they really do belong together.”

 

They turned away from the pair now making out heavily on the black box couch and started out the back door.

 

“Don’t really want to see them having sex though,” Francis grumbled.

 

“…I wouldn’t mind.”


	2. Curtain Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s their fifth high school reunion and Alfred and Arthur break in the school’s new dressing rooms.

“Why are we even here,” Alfred whined, pulling his bomber jacket closer around his shoulders to ward out the cold. “I just want to be home drinking hot chocolate with you…and maybe make out on the couch a little.”

 

Arthur elbowed him the gut and he let out a quiet ‘oomph’ at the impact.

 

“Sorry, I’m just…y’know… _horny_ ,” he whispered comically. Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed.

 

“Yes, love, I’m aware of that, _believe_ me. But we were invited here for the unveiling of the new dressing rooms, which I will remind you were our senior class gift. So just shut it for a couple of hours and play nice with your former classmates, and _then_ we can go back to our hotel and make love as long as you want to.”

 

Alfred’s grumbles were momentarily forgotten as they walked through the auditorium doors. Just on the other side were the members of their old class, Class D, and the other senior classes from their graduation year. It was great seeing old friends and reliving memories, especially memories of the senior showcases. For a lot of students, those had been the highlights of their high school careers. Alfred and Arthur could definitely relate; if it hadn’t been for their senior showcase, they might never have found the courage to confess their feelings and eventually find a life together.

 

“Bonsoir, mes amis!”

 

“Oh God,” Arthur moaned. Alfred chuckled and rubbed his lover’s back in fake sympathy. “What are you doing here, frog? I’d have thought you’d be frolicking across France by now.”

 

“You wound me so, mon ami! Tell me, do you still hold a grudge against me for Erzsebet’s crazy ideas during our senior showcase, because – _merde_!”

 

Erzsebet smiled innocently from Francis’s side and lifted her stiletto heel off of the Frenchman’s abused foot. “Good to see you two again!”

 

“Er, yes…good to see you too, Erzsebet.”

 

They made small talk for a while, their small group growing in size as more and more Class D graduates wandered in from the December cold, until finally the high school’s theatre director clambered onto the stage to get everyone’s attention.

 

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! We’re so glad so many of you could make it despite the weather! In just a moment we’ll take you all on a tour of the new dressing rooms and black box, courtesy of your fantastic senior donations, and afterwards there will be refreshments and snacks!

 

“But before we head backstage, I just want to thank you all on behalf of the theatre department for your truly wonderful senior gift. Our dressing rooms and black box have been in desperate need of repair for many years, and your donations allow our students to enjoy new amenities such as showers, sinks, and lockable cubby holes.”

 

After a few more moments of milling around, the theatre director welcomed everyone backstage and divided the crowd up in half –one for the stage left dressing room, one half for the stage right. Alfred and Arthur filed in, joined the ranks of former students oohing and ahhing over the modern fixtures, the spacious cubby holes, and the fancy make-up counter. In fact, Alfred spent so much time oohing and ahhing that eventually he and Arthur were the last two in the dressing room, which immediately threw up a red flag in Arthur’s mind.

 

He narrowed his eyes to the innocent smile Alfred threw his way, and for a few moments they had silent duel before Arthur sighed and looked away, a sign of defeat.

 

He was on him in an instant, shoving Arthur back against the now closed and locked dressing room door and kissing him desperately. It felt so wonderful – _every_ time they were together felt fantastic –that Arthur couldn’t help but lose himself in the frantic movements of their lips, their hips, their hands and tongues.

 

“Nng!” Arthur moaned at a particularly vicious twist of Alfred’s hips. “Jesus, Al, hold on a tic!”

 

“Can’t,” his lover panted against his neck, trembling fingers working Arthur’s zipper down. “Wanted to do this since before we left the hotel.”

 

“Then –ah!” He broke off as Alfred’s long, warm fingers wriggled their way into his underwear and began to stroke. “Did –did you bring anything?”

 

“Mhm. Was hopin’ you’d change your mind,” Alfred murmured, pulling a packet of lube and a condom out of his jeans pocket before shucking them.

 

“Were you planning this?!”

 

Alfred’s hand stopped its movements and its owner smiled almost self-deprecatingly.

 

“Ah, well no…but I just thought it’d be kinda, I don’t know, romantic? Doing it here, in the place where we first confessed, I mean,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, I probably should have talked it over with you…but you gotta know that there is never a time when I don’t want you, Arthur.”

 

Arthur stared into Alfred’s ice blue eyes and sighed. “Well, I can’t say no to that face. And I _especially_ can’t say no to your hand on my dick.”

 

Alfred laughed. “Straight and to the point, that’s my Artie!”

 

The Brit smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind his lover’s ear. His fingers trailed down to brush against Alfred’s scruffy cheek, traced the strong line of his jaw, until finally, blissfully, he brought his lover in for a kiss.

 

“You know I love you, Al,” he murmured against the American’s lips, slightly disappointed when the hand left his pants. Alfred pushed his pants and underwear down in one smooth moment, and they were finally both naked from the waist down.

 

“And you know I love you. How do you want it, babe?”

 

“Mm, I don’t care, just hurry up before I take matters into my own hands!”

 

“Alright, uh…go brace against the make-up counter then,” Alfred said, voice breathless.

 

Arthur smirked and walked over as instructed, exaggerating the sway of his hips because he knew he was being watched. He bent over the counter and spread his legs, making sure to look suggestively back over his shoulder at his lover.

 

The American moaned quietly as he took in the view. But time was of the essence –it would only be a few moments before someone (likely Francis or Erzsebet) would notice their absence –so he rushed over and squirted the lube onto his fingers, already warmed from being in his jeans pocket, and began to prepare his lover.

 

Alfred waited until Arthur was a melted, moaning mess, bucking back against his fingers and whining for more, before he finally pulled out, coated his straining erection with left over lube, and slowly entered him.

 

This part always felt like coming home, like they had always been made just for each other and no one else. He draped himself over Arthur’s back, careful not to crush him as he waited for his love to adjust to the feeling. He accidentally caught Arthur’s eyes in the mirror and he couldn’t help but stare. Arthur’s eyes were what originally caught his attention back in high school and they were still just as gorgeous and fascinating as they were then, only this time they were dilated wide with arousal.

 

Their eye contact was cut short when Arthur reminded Alfred of the _other_ kind of ‘contact’ they had by clamping his inner muscles down onto Alfred’s cock and moaning something about moving and idiots.  

 

So Alfred complied; after five years, they knew each other’s bodies very well, so he had no problem hitting Arthur’s prostate or finding his erogenous zones with wandering hands, making the Brit cry out before shushing him back lest they be discovered.

 

Exhibitionism wasn’t necessarily a kink of either of theirs but it spurned them on, forcing them to go hard and fast, to bite down on hands and shoulders to hide their mounting pleasure.

 

“Look,” Alfred commanded over Arthur’s quiet sobs. “Watch yourself in the mirror, God you’re so fucking sexy –ah!”

 

Arthur did. He watched himself as Alfred pounded into him from behind, a moaning mess of lust and need. God did he need. He was taken by surprise when Alfred’s fingers wrapped around his cock, stroking in time with his thrusting, and Arthur could no longer watch himself; his universe was reduced to two points of pure pleasure, and then the dam of pleasure burst and he was finally coming.

 

He collapsed against the counter and moaned brokenly, too sated to do anything but lie there as his lover finished a few moments later. He could feel Alfred’s warm breath against the nape of his neck and sighed. This had always been his favorite part about sex, but they couldn’t bask in their afterglow tonight.

 

Tonight. Shit. There were a few hundred people out there and they had been gone long enough to raise suspicion shit fuck fuck fuck –

 

“Arthur, shh, it’s okay,” Alfred soothed, sensing his love’s distress. He pulled out with a grimace and jogged to the toilet to get something to clean themselves up with. “They’re too busy stuffing their faces with free food to notice. Come on, let’s get dressed, God I love you…”

 

Their reappearance in the black box didn’t cause a huge stir like Arthur had imagined, but some people had definitely noticed their absence.

 

“So,” a voice purred in Arthur’s ear, making him jump, “when should I expect the happy news?”

 

“What are you talking about, Francis?”

 

“You know, the baby announcement.”

 

“Fuck off!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah here’s the smut. I’m not sorry.  
> You can follow my writing blog at trumpet-geek. tumblr. com! Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I got all my quotes from opensourceshakespeare. com because I’m too lazy to grab my Shakespeare anthology oops.  
> Anyway, thank you all for reading! If you liked it and want the opportunity to send me your own prompts, please follow me at trumpet-geek. tumblr. com!
> 
> TG © October 24, 2012


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